TikTok Shop launches new 'Preowned Luxury' category in the UK

TikTok Shop, the social commerce marketplace from the social media platform, has expanded its ‘Preowned Luxury’ category to the UK market.

Announced on April 22, Earth Day, the development sees TikTok expand its luxury category to consumers across the pond, as it goes head to head with luxury secondhand marketplaces such as The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective, Depp, and Poshmark,

The new category allows UK shoppers to buy selected pre-owned luxury apparel, handbags, and accessories without leaving the TikTok app. At the time of launch, TikTok Shop has partnered with five select brands, including Luxe Collective, Sellier, Sign of the Times, HardlyEverWornIt, and Break Archive.

"This announcement is an exciting first step in the world of preowned fashion for TikTok Shop,” said Jan Wilk, head of operations at TikTok Shop UK, in a statement. “TikTok Shop is already a leader when it comes to discovery-based commerce and with a vibrant fashion community thriving on TikTok, this provides a unique opportunity for retailers to reach new audiences and customers with an inspiring and accessible way to embrace luxury fashion."

The newest addition to TikTok Shop UK, the ‘Preowned Luxury’ category, builds on other recently launched categories, like 'Fresh Flowers & Live Plants.’ Since its 2022 debut, the TikTok Shop has seen over $1 billion in sales. Yet, despite its achievements, there has been some criticism claiming it detracts from the app's core experience by allowing counterfeit and low-quality items.

This issue of authenticity, especially with pre-owned luxury goods, is a common challenge across major online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. Bloomberg recently reported that the social media platform was in discussion with luxury conglomerate LVMH to combat counterfeits.

TikTok Shop US mandates third-party authentication certificates for all secondhand brands, collaborating with Entrupy and Real Authentication to verify the authenticity of designer handbags sold on the platform.